Apparatus for stacking closure disks and the like



Aug. 26, 1930. 1 .G.QUADEE1AL 1 1,774,401

APPARATUS FOR STACKING CLOSURE DISKS AND THE LIKE Aug. 26, 1930.

K. a. QUADE ET AL APPARATUS FOR STACKING CLOSURE DISKS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 24, 1928 I,mm n

3 sheetsl-Shejt 2 M QQMM@ Aug. 25, 1930.

4K. G. QUADE El' AL 1,774,401

APPARATUS FOR STACKING' CLOSUHE DISKS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 24, 1928 Y Patented Aug. 26, 1930 CIK PATENT orFicE KENNETH G. @UADE AND CHARLES LA BE 4E', OF FULTON, NEW YORK, ASSGNOR-S TO OSWEGO FALLS CORPORATGN, OI@ FULTON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW 'YORK APPARATUS FOB. STACKING CLOSURE DISKS AND THE LIKE Application filed August 24, 1928. Serial No. 301,838.

f Closure disks of the type known as bottle caps, or milk bottle caps, are produced by quantity production methods through the use of cap machines that cut or punch the flat paper disks from sheet paper material fed from rolls; these machines usually embody printing mechanisms whereby the caps delivered by the machines are printed on one side, and also sometimes embody pull tab or handle forming mechanisms that often include stapling devices so that the caps delivered by such machinery embody pull tabs and carry staples. Usually the caps from these machines lelivered to parafiiing mechanisms whereby the caps are warerproofed or paraihned. Where the finished caps are to be applied to the bottles by capping machinery, the cap making machines are provided with attachments to gather or assemble the caps delivered from the parafning mechanisms into stacks and feed the stacks into paper tubes and thereby form cap packages. The caps arel shipped in these packages which can be placed in the capping mechanisms. rlhe printed sides of the paral- Ylel caps in the tubes must all face in the same direction and it is desirable that alltubes of the same length contain the same ratednumkber of. perfect caps. This necessitates careful inspection of the caps during the process of assembling the caps into stacks and forcing the stacks into the shipping or packing tubes, and this constant close inspection by attendants duringthe process of gathering the caps into the stack assembly is necessary because of the tendency of caps to become reversed in position, or of one or more caps to get out of alinement and cause jamming or otherwise break up the stack formations. These difficulties that necessitate constant inspection of the caps during assembly into stack form, render it desirable to .provide mechanisms whereby the caps are not only clearly visible, but also readily accessible for removal of defective caps and for rearrangement or relocating of misplaced caps, throughout approximately the entire travel of the caps from the paraflining vmechanism to the packing tubes.

Qur invention relates to mechanism for arranging assembly of disks or caps into stack ,understood by those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing remarks and the following explanations of the accompanying drawings that show what we now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment of our invention from among other forms, combinations, and arrangements Within the spirit and scope of the invention.

An object of the invention is to provide cap or closure disk gathering, or stacking mechanism, thatv will avoid the disadvantages, diiiculties, and danger or injury incidental to the useof screw or worm conveyers for delivering the disks to and packing the samein the tubes, and that will also meet-the requirements hereinbefore pointed out, and that will also tend to speed up production of packaged disks and tend to reduce the number of necessary attendants for each unit of cap making and tube' filling machinery.

TWith theseand other objects in view,-our invention consists in certain novel features of construction, formation, arrangement, and /or combination, as more fully and particularly described and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof; Fig. 1 is a top plan, more or less diagrammatical, of paraftining mechanism at the discharge end of a. cap making machine, showing closure disk (cap) gathering and stackmechanism embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 shows the mechanisms of Fig. 1 in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Fig. e is a cross section on the line i-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6, Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of a disk delivering guide funnel. i

Fig. 8 is a detail longitudinal vertical section.

The cap or closure ydisk making machines 5 is a cross section on the line 5 5,

often employ gangs Of'dies er purlhee that will at each stroke cut from the sheet paper stock eight, more or less, rows of printed handled or stapled disks or caps, and these eight parallel rows of caps are carried forward into the paraffining mechanism, and delivered therefrom.

In the drawings, we diagrammatically illust-rate paraffining mechanism that receives the disks or caps a, from the cap making machine. This mechanism, as an example, can include a pair of upper and lower cooperating rotating parafiining rolls l, 2, that receive and move the disks or cap forward and apply hot liquid paraffin thereto from a suitable hot liquid parafiin pot or bath, not shown. These rolls discharge the hot paraflined caps into the flat horizontal top face of a suitably driven advancing Conveyer belt 3, which is usually wet with hot paraffin, The caps should lie fiat on this belt printed faces up.

The conveyor belt 3, discharges the disks onto the top face of a suitably driven horizontally disposed, off-bearing endless conveyer drying belt 4, arranged at a level below belt 3, A guide or stripping plate 5, inclines downwardly fromthe discharge of belt 3, toward the receiving portion of belt 4, to cause the disks to slide from belt 3, to belt 4, on plate 5, without piling on each other andv without tilting or turning over, all in such manner that the disks will be delivered onto belt 4, prinied side up and spaced apart across said belt.

The drying belt 4, discharges the disks by gravity into the large open upper ends of suitably supported depending funnel-like discharge throats or hoppers 6, arranged to drop the disks by gravity in upright position with their printed sides forward from the small lower ends of the throats into the receiving ends of disk advancing and guiding mechanisms.

A depending discharge throat 6, is provided for each tube filling or packing mechanism, and these similar throats, where more than one is employed, are uniformly spaced across the discharge of the belt 4. Each throat is formed with an inner top edge 6, to strip the advancing disks from the descending portion of the belt for gravity drop through the throat, while the throat is formed to guide and confine the falling disk to maintain the upright position thereof and to deliver the disk in an uprighted position printed face forward. The throat is preferably formed with a vertically swingable forwardlyvielding rearwardly-pressing depending front wall or finger 6", having a free lower end. This finger is particularly designed to yield to prevent the disks from clogging or jamming in the throat and to permit the disks to drop one by one from the throat.

Means are preferably provided to cause the disks travelling from the parafiining mechanism to discharge into the throat 6, if but one is employed, or to distribute the disks to the throats where more than one is employed. For instance, where the cap making machine delivers disks to the parafiining rolls in eight parallel spaced lines so that disks advance with belt 3, in eight parallel rows, we usually employ four tube filling mechanisms with four throats 6 for delivering disks thereto, respectively. lVe hence provide means to coucentrate the eight advancing rows of isks as delivered from the paraffining rolls and distribute the same into four advancing rows alined with the throats 6, respectively. For instance, we provide any suitable supports for several forwardly extending longitudinally inclined disk guidii'ig blades or fingers 8, at their lower edges bearing on one of the belts, preferably belt 3, intermediate the width thereof, and these blades are arranged to intercept certain of the rows of advancing disks and deliver the disks of said rows from the front free ends of the oblique or inclined blades into other rows, and thereby form four rows of advancing disks that are alined with and flow .into the throats G, respectively.

In the example that we happen to illustrate for purposes of explanation, four spaced similar discharge throats G are shown, and four mechanisms, for simultaneously filling four packing tubes with disks delivered by said throats, respectively, although we do not wish to so limit our invention, as one or more packing tube filling mechanisms can be employed. In this example, said mechanisms are similar and are suitably supported by any desirable means, not shown, preferably extending forwardly in parallelism, and are unobstructed and clearly visible and accessible from above. to the attendant sitting or standing to one side.

Each mechanism embodies a stationary longitudinally-elongated preferably berizontal disk-receiving guideway, in the form of an open-top metal trough or guideway 9 preferably U-shape in cross section. The internal horizontal width of this trough slightly exceeds the diameter of the caps or disks while the vertical diameter or depth of the trough preferably is Vless than the disk diameter but greater than the disk radius. At its outer or discharge end, this guide or trough is provided with a tubular discharge nipple or throat 10, rigid and longitudinally alined with the trough to exteriorly and longitudinally receive the paper packing tube to be filled with the stack of disks formed in the trough and advancing therein and discharged outwardly through throat 10. rfhe internal diameter of cylindrical throat 10 is slightly greater than the disk diameter, while the exterior diameter of throat 10 is such that the tube Z1, will removably slide and fit thereon with a close or friction fit.

The outlet end of the funnel 6 is located centrally above the receiving or front end of cra 'A ted at its bottom to permit the bottom edges of the disks in the trough to rest on the upper surface of the top length or ply of an endless travelling` conveyer belt 12, arranged longitudinally of the trough. This belt is carried by pulleys 13, suitably mounted and supported and driven in any suitable manner, as by driving belt lei, to constantly advance the top ply of conveyer 12, toward 4 the discharge nipple 10. rlhis conveyor 12,

is equipped with an endless series of uniformly spaced similar disk upholding and propelling substantially rigid blades or iingers 15, rigid with the belt and upstanding from and perpendicular to vthe top length of the conveyer. These ngers, in this example, are in'length lessthan the diameter of the disks. rlhe lfingers are spaced apart a suflicient distance to permit several, as two, disks to rest loosely in the space between any two lingers. vrlhe lingers advance through the open front extremity of the trough and the disks drop into the trough from funnel 6, entering between the fingers and resting on the conveyor. The conveyer and fingers thus carry the disks longitudinally of the trough, while the disks are prevented from unduly tilting back or forwardly by the fingers and the vertically concaved side walls of the trough.

lntermediate the length of the top length of conveyor 12, we provide means for shaking or vibrating the conveyor to Separate the disks `carried thereby and cause said disks to settle to their desired lowest positions with the centers of the disks alined longitudinally of the trough. Some of the disks sometimes tend to catch or adhere in elevated positions, by reason of the projecting edges or portions of the staples therein, or because of the adhesive character of the paraffin or for other reasons. For this purpose we now'employ a suitably mounted and driven rotaryshaft 17, arranged transversely under the upper length of conveyor 12, and driving an eccentric 18, bearing up against said length of the conveyor and serving to rapidly shake or vibrate the same vertically.v

The conveyer 12, and trough 9, are extended in length to afford ample time for drying the paraflin on the disks and particularly to afford time for careful inspection of the disks to detect imperfect or defective'disks and disks that have been reversed in position, i. e. with their printed sides not facing in the direction desired.

At its rear portion where the lingers swing downwardly from the trough 9, said trough forms a tubular housing 20, in rigid longitudinal continuation of the trough, and as the fingers descend through the' floor of this housing the fingers 15, push the disks forward and together' in this housing to form the stack offdisks, which stack is being constantly advanced toward nipple 10, by the pushing pressure of said lingers.

rlhis housing 20, provides a longitudinal top slot through which the vertically .swingable spring pressed finger 22, depends into the "l VfL1 lr l'k hh pat i o me ac i ancing ois s 1n t e ousingto cooperate in the. formation of the stack and in alining the disks. The finger can be pivotally supported at 23, and the spring 24, constantly acts on the finger'to press its lower end forwardly to gather the caps and prevent them from tilting or falling forwardly when a run of caps has started and before the stack of caps has been formed and advanced into nozzle 10.

As the stack is formed and pressed forward, the linger 22, is elevated against the power of its spring and the caps are pressed forward under the finger which bears down thereon and tends to hold the caps upright and press the same down into alineme-nt.

rl`he nozzle 10, constitutes a rigid longitudinal continuation of the housing 20, and the rear portion 20a, of the housing `is longitudinally open at the topY to expose the top of the stack of disk therein for nal inspection thereof, and for manipulation when removing and applying packing tubes and for other purposes.

The disks while in trough 9, being advanced by linger 15, are exposed at their front and rear side faces. To enable the attendant to quicklyand easily observe both the reary as well as the front faces of the disks to detect disks that are in reversed position as to their printed faces, we mount a small mirror 27, on the front side of each discharge funnel 5 .in such manner as to reflect the rear faces of the advancing disks and thus render the rear faces as well as the front faces of the disks visible from the attendants position.

It will be observed that the disks are eX- posed to observation and are readily accessible from the attendants posit-ion throughout an extended path of movement and for a substantial length of time, namely, from the time the disks are deposited on conveyer 4, until they enter the discharge or tube fitting nozzle 19, and during this travel the disks are moving at a suilieiently low speed to enable the attendant to remove defective or all llG

offending or obstructing disks, etc. without the necessity of stopping the operator of the cap making machine. ln fact, we have found that one attendantis usually able to perform the duty of inspecting and correcting obstructions during the stacking and packing tube operations.

It is evident that various changes, departures, and modifications can be resorted to without departing from our invention, and that the disclosure hereof should be construed as illustrative and not as unduly limiting.

That we claim is z- 1. In combination, means for applying water-proofing material to paper materia closure disks, a wide flat belt conveyor for advancing successive transverse rows of disks resting flat on said belt and received from said mechanism, inclined blades resting flat on said belt for arranging said disks being advanced by said belt and delivering said disks from the blade rear free ends in parallel separated rows, depending discharge throats alined with said ron's, respectively, and into which said disks are dropped, and several mechanisms for stacking said disks and delivering the stacks into packing tubes, said mechanisms receiving disks from said throats, respectively.

2. In combination, a wide belt conveyer for carrying closure disks arranged horizontally thereon, spaced depending discharge throats arranged to receive the disks from said conveyer and provided with means to guide the disks against turning over, to discharge the same in upright or edgewise positions all facing in the same direction, and disk stacking and packing tube filling meehanisms, one for each discharge throat arranged to receive the upright disks one behind the other from said throats.

3. In combination, a flat belt conveyer, a discharge throat arranged to receive disks therefrom and provided with means to hold the disks against turning over to discharge disks in upright edgewise position all facing in the same direction, and a disk stacking and packing tube filling mechanism arranged to receive disks from said throat and gather the same all facing in the same direction into a stack and advance the stack into a packing tube.

4. Apparatus for stacking closure disks and delivering the stacked disks into packing tubes, embodying a nozzle for delivering the stacked disks into the packing tube and for exteriorly and removably receiving the tubes, and means for gathering the disks into a stack and delivering the stack through the nozzle including a disk guiding trough longitudinally alined with the nozzle, and an endless series of spaced disk advancing fingers arranged transversely With respect to and movable longitudinally of said trough toward said nozzle.

In combination, a conveyer for advancing closure disks resting loosely thereon visible for inspection and mechanism for stacking said disks and filling packing tubes with the stacked disks, said disks being exposed by said mechanism for inspection and separate removal therefrom prior to delivery into the packing tube, and means for delivering disks from said conveyer to said mechanism in upright edgewise position, said means including a guide to hold the disk against turning over for delivering the disks all facing in the same direction.

6. Mechanism for stacking closure disks and advancing the stack of disks to fill packing tubes, including a tubular nozzle to receive a packing tube, means to expose disks for inspection and removal while gathering the disks all facing inthe saine direction into a stack and advancing the stack through said nozzle, and means for rendering the upright back faces of the disks being advanced visible from a position from which the upright front sides of the disks are directly visible.

7. Mechanism for charging packing tubes with closure disks, including an elongated open-top tube guiding trough including a tubular housing and a nozzle for removably receiving par" tubes, con ayer trave?.- ling longitudinally of said trough provided with an endless series of spaced lingers for propelling disks arranged transversely of said trough longitudinally thereof and into said housing, and means in said housing to cooperate with said fingers in assembling said disks into a stack, said fingers propelling the stack through said housing and into and through the nozzle.

8. Mechanism for charging packing tubes with closure disks, including an elongated open-top trough leading to a nozzle for removably receiving packing tubes, means for delivering closure disks in edgewise position into and transversely of said trough, an endiess travelling disk conveyer travelling longitudinally of said trough toward said nozzle and provided with disk propelling and separating lingers, and means for vibrating said conveyor to settle and position the disks in said trough.

9. In apparatus for stacking closure disks and the like; a wide flat belt conveyor for advancing disks resting flat on the belt, rearwardly extending laterally inclined blades having rear free ends, said blades resting flat on the belt and supported from above and independently of the belt, and arranged to gather the disks carried rearwardly by the belt and deliver the same from the blade rear ends in parallel separated rows, and means alined with said rows, respectively, to receive said disks and deliver the same to stacking mechanisms.

l0. Apparatus for stacking closure disks and the like, embodying a wide belt conveyor, another wide belt conveyorl arranged to receive disks from the first named conveyor, means being provided to guide the disks against turning over to deliver the disks front face up on the second conveyor, disk stacking mechanism, and means to deliver disks from the second conveyor to the disk stacking mechanism, said last mentioned means provided with guiding means to prevent the disks turning over, for delivering the disks all facing in the same direction to the stacking mechanism.

11. Apparatus for stacking closure disks and the like, embodying an endless conveyor having an endless series of means to separate disks and maintain the same in upright position with their front faces exposed for inspection while traveling forward, a relatively stationary slideway for said disks arranged longitudinally of and in which the disks are advanced by said conveyer, and disk stacking means receiving the disks from said slideway and conveyer.

12. Apparatus for stacking closure disks and the like, embodying an endless conveyor having an endless series of means to separate disks and loosely maintain the same in upright position with their front faces eX- posed for inspection while traveling forward, stacking means receiving the disks from the conveyer, and means for vibrating the conveyor to shake and level the disks thereon.

13. Apparatus for stacking closure disks and the like, comprising an elongated tubular member to feed forward a stack of disks and deliver the same into a packing tube, said tubular member having a longitudinal top opening along which the upper portions of the disks of the stack travel, whereby the disks are visible and accessible for manipulation, and means for arranging disks in a stack and for propelling the disks into and forcing the same forward in said tubular member.

14. Apparatus for stacking and packing closure disks and the like, embodying a nozzle for guiding an advancing stack of disks into a .packing tube, a rearwardly yielding finger under constant tendency to forwardly enter the nozzle in opposition to the advance of disks therein, and'adapted to be pushed to one side by theV advancing stack and to ride on the edges of the disks thereof; and mechanism for assembling and advancing a succession of loosely and edgewise arranged disks and for ysuccessively pushing the same together into stack form in said nozzle in opposition to said finger and advancing the stack through the nozzle and into the packing tube.

15. Apparatus for stacking closure disks and the like, embodying an elongated endless conveyor having an endless series of spaced disk pushing and separating fingers, and disk stacking means receiving the disks from said conveyer and in which the disks are pushed forward in stack form by said iingers.

Signed at Fulton, Oswego County, State Vof New York, this 30th day of July, 1928.

KENNETH G. QUADE. C. H. LA BEEF. 

